Cover for headlights.



0. H. CHAMBERLAIN.

APP

COVER FORHBADLIGHTS.

LIOATIOH FILED JULY 30, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

aww/wboz Yca emu-nu W mqvummncv Patented Dec.12,1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. CHAMBERLAIN, OF BELLEFONTAINE, OHIO.

COVER FOR I-IEADLIGHTS.

I '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. CHAM- BERLAIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bellefontaine, in the county of Logan and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Covers for Headlights; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in covers for head lights and more particularly for locomotive head lights.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved cover of this character and operating mechanism therefor which may be applied to the usual form of locomotive head light whereby the same may be covered and the light hidden when desired.

With this and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, and the combination and arrangement of part-s as will be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of a locomotive boiler and head light showing the invention applied thereto and illustrating the cover in operative position in full lines and in dotted lines showing the manner in which the cover is moved to operative and inoperative positions. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the cover in an inoperative position; Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section through the compressed air operating mechanism; Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the air controlling valve of the operating mechanism.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes the head light which may be of the usual or any suitable construction and which is secured to a platform 2 arranged on a supporting bracket 3 fastened to the front end of the locomotive boiler as shown. Secured to the lower side of the platform 2 adjacent to the front end thereof is hearing brackets 41 in which are revolubly mounted a cover supporting and operating shaft 5. Fixed to the shaft at suitable points are curved cover supporting arms 6 to the outer ends of which is secured a cover plate 7 which is here shown as of circular form but which may be of any suitable shape corresponding to the shape of the lens or opening Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 20, 1911.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911.

Serial No. 639,690.

of the head light to which the same is applied.

On one end of the shaft 5 is fixedly mounted a spur gear pinion 8 with which is adapted. to be engaged a cover operating mechanism, said mechanism being here shown as and preferably comprises a rack bar 9 fixedly mounted on the outer end of a piston rod 10 which is slidably mounted in a cylinder 11 and has on its inner end a piston 12 which works in said cylinder. The cylinder 11 is secured by a suitable bracket or hanger to the lower side of the platform 2 of the head light adjacent to one side of the same and to the forward end of the cylinder 11 is secured a rack supporting bracket 13 with the outer end of which is slidably engaged the cover operating rack bar 9.

Arranged on the piston rod 10 between the outer end or head of the cylinder 11 and the piston 12 is a coiled piston operating spring 14 the pressure of which is applied to retract the piston rod and the rack bar 9 thereby, and causing the same to turn the shaft 5 in the proper direction for swinging the cover plate downwardly to a position beneath the platform 2 of the head light as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. Connected to the inner end of the cylinder 11 is a compressed air conduct-ing pipe 15 which extends back into the cab of the locomotive and from thence extends to and is connected with a compressed air tank or reservoir (not shown), but which may be arranged in any suitable position on the locomotive.

At a suitable point in the air pipe 15 within convenient reach of the engineer or fireman in the cab of the locomotive is an air controlling valve 16 having arranged thereon an air inlet port 17 which is adapted to be brought into engagement with the ends of the air pipe connecting with the casing of the valve and which is also provided with an exhaust port 18 which is adapted to be brought into engagement with the inner end of the portion of the air pipe leading from the valve casing to the cylinder 11 and with a discharge port 19 formed in the casing of the valve whereby the air may be released from the cylinder thus permitting the spring 14: to operate the piston. By thus constructing and arranging the operating mechanism it will be seen that when air is admitted to the cylinder 11 through the valve 16 it will force the piston forwardly in the cylinder against the pressure of the spring 14 thus projecting the piston rod 10 and rack 9 outwardly or forwardly which movement of the latter will turn or rock the shaft 5 in the proper direction for swinging the cover plate 7 forwardly and upwardly into engagement with the front end of the head light thus closing or covering the same and hiding the light. As long as the pressure of air remains in the cylinder 11 the cover plate will be held in its closed or operative position and the light thus hidden. Then it is desired to uncover the light, the air is released from the cylinder through the medium of the valve 16 whereupon the pressure of the spring 14; will be applied to retract the piston thus operating the piston rod and rack to turn the shaft 5 in the proper direction for swinging the cover plate downwardly beneath the platform 2 of the head light in which position said cover plate is held by the pressure of the spring until the air is again admitted to the cylinder.

By means of a head light cover and operating mechanism constructed and arranged as herein shown and described it will be seen that when a train passes onto a siding or at any other time when desired, the light may be covered and hidden without requiring the engineer or fireman leaving the cab of the locomotive.

It will be understood that while I have herein shown and described compressed air as being employed for operating the cover other fluid pressure may be employed or if desired suitable means may be provided for manually operating the cover from the cab of the locomotive.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

A cover for a locomotive headlight and operating mechanism therefor, comprising a shelf secured to and projecting forwardly from the boiler, a headlight mounted on the shelf, a bracket depending from the shelf near each side and its forward end, a hori- Zontal shaft journaled in said brackets, curved arms secured to the shaft intermediate its ends and extending upwardly around the front edge of the shelf, a cover plate carried by the curved arms, a horizontal cylinder suspended below the shelf at one side, a compressed fluid pipe leading to the cylinder, a slideway bracket projecting forwardly and horizontally from the front of the cylinder, a spring retracted piston in the cylinder, a rod connected to said piston projecting forwardly from the cylinder, a rack attached to the rod and slidably mounted on the slideway bracket, and a pinion on the end of the shaft engaging the rack.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesse's.

CHARLES H. CHAMBERLAIN.

Witnesses BLANOI-IARD CHAMBERLAIN, ERNEST L. REXER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0. 

